Hairbrush



H. LARSON July 22, 1941.

HAIRBRUSH Filed April 22, 1939 1' I" l I INVENTOR. ]-[eZma'r' Larson; BY Z ATTORNEY.

Patented July 22, 1941 2,250,112 nsmmwsn.

Helmar Larson, New Brunswick, N. J., assignor of one-third to Michael M. Tuleia, and one-third to Fred C. Hartbower, both of New Brunswick,

Application April 22, 1939, Serial No. 269,391

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in hairbrushes; and the invention has reference, more particularly, to a novel construction of brush having bristles of edged formation for effectively cleaning and flattening the hair to which the brush is applied in use.

This invention has for an object to provide a novel hairbrush comprising flexible bristles, said bristles being of such character (that is to say of harder characteristic than is human hair) as to provide, along the lengths thereof, a plurality of relatively sharp edges, whereby as such bristles are caused to penetrate and are moved through and along the hair to which the brush is applied in use, the bristle edges will move along the hair filaments with a scraping action which is highly effective both to remove adhering dirt particles or encrustations therefrom, as well as to exert a flattening effect. upon the same, whereby a strong tendency to naturally wave is imparted thereto which renders the same more responsive to waving and other hair dressing operations as well as rendering the hair more effectively manageable generally.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hairbrush made up of a multiplicity of flexible bristles of polygonal cross sectional shape whereby comparatively sharp longitudinal edges are provided thereon; said bristles terminating in tapered free end portions to facilitate penetration thereof into the hair to which the brush is applied; said bristles being arranged in such related association as to be tensionally yieldable in relation one to another, whereby a strong gripping effect is exerted upon the hair filaments passing therebetween, which not only attains the desired scraping and flattening effects upon the hair, but which also exerts pulling effect upon the hair filaments which is transmitted to the hair roots and scalp so as to exercise the scalp and stimulate blood circulation therethrough whereby natural and healthy growth of the hair is promoted.

Another object of this invention is to provide in a hairbrush of the character above mentioned a novel arrangement of bristle mounting whereby the tensional grip of the bristles upon the hair filaments is progressively increased during the movement of the brush along the hair; this being attained by progressively increasing the angular pitch of successive rows of bristles which make up the brush body.

Other objects of this invention, not at this time more particularly enumerated, will be understood from the following detailed description of the same.

Illustrative embodiments of this invention are shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a hairbrush according to the invention shown partly in full lines and partly by dotted representation; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the bristle face of the brush; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one form of bristle (greatly. enlarged) adapted to provide along the length thereof a. plurality of comparatively sharp edges; and Fig. 4 is a perspective view of another form of bristle (greatly enin the above described views, to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawing, the brush according to this invention comprises any suitably shaped brush back ID in which are mounted, in any manner commonly practiced in the art. the bristle body, so that the latter projects from said back l0 and forms the bristle face of thebrush.

The bristle body of the brush comprises flexible bristles ll of polygonal cross sectional shape whereby the same are provided, along the, length thereof, with comparatively sharp laterally projected edges. Illustrative of a preferred form of bristle ll so characterized is one of triangular cross sectional shape, as shown in Fig. 3, whereby a plurality of longitudinally extending comparatively sharp laterally projected edges 12 are provided thereon. At its free end the bristle ll so formed is provided with a tapered end portion l3 terminating in a preferably rounded extremity l 4. Illustrative of another form of said bristle l I is one of diamond-shaped cross section, as shown in Fig. 4, whereby a plurality of longitudinally extending comparatively sharp laterally projected edges l2 are provided thereon. The free end portion of the last mentioned bristle form is likewise provided with the tapered end portion :2 terminating in a preferably rounded extremity The edged bristles above described may be made by any suitable process of production, and of any suitable material of flexible but hard or unyielding character. In some cases, for example, the bristles could be made of metal, vegetable fibre of suitable characteristics or the like, but preferably the same would be made of any suitable plastic material such as heretofore used or such as could be used to produce an artificial bristle element by molding, extrusion or other available process. The production of the bristles by extrusionthrough dies of suitable shape affords a very practical method of obtaining the bristles, since such method lends itself especially well to the attainment of any desired polygonal cross sectional shape calculated to provide the laterally projecting longitudinally extending comparatively sharp and unyielding edges thereon as required under the principles of this invention.

A multiplicity of the novel edged bristles I I may be assembled together in bunches, rows, or any other desired relation, and, as so assembled,

' thereon mounted on the brush back ID to provide the operative bristle face of the brush. Preferably, however, the bristles II are arranged in bunches B, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, with the butt end portions of said bunches constricted together and inserted into and thereupon suitably anchored to the brush back Ill. The bristle bunches so provided preferably have the bristle elements II disposed therein that the .same are relatively divergent toward the free end of each bunch. Such arrangement tends to, separate or slightly space apart the tapered free end portions I3 of the'bristle elements, thus facilitating the penetrationbf the hair thereby, as the brush is applied to hair in use, so that hair filaments I! will tend to separate and pass between the bristles. Since, as thus arranged, the bristles of the bunches B converge inwardly one upon another, as the hair filaments enter therebetween and move into the interior of the bristle bunches,

- a frictional engagement of the hair filaments by along the hair filaments with a strong frictional contact therewith, whereby said filaments will not only be thoroughly scraped, so as to assure efilcient removal of dirt particles and encrustations therefrom, but also so as to be subjected to a flattening action. Since the hair filaments are tensionally and frictionally gripped between adjacent bristles, it will be obvious that a pulling action will also be exerted upon the same, with resultant exercising effect upon the scalp and upon the hair roots.

The bristles I I may be associated in assembled condition so as to assume a symmetrical relation, as shown in Fig. 5, or they may be assembled in a symmetrical relation as shown in Fig. 6.

QIn either case, comparatively sharp edges of the -'bristles will be presented so as to eng hair filaments passing between adjacent bristles.

Theaction of the brush as composed of the and consequently, the bristle edges will be drawn novel edged bristles is not harsh and yet is sufficiently strong to exert the desired flattening effect upon the hair filaments. The flattening of said hair filaments, especially when the hair is naturally straight with little or no tendency to wave, is highly desirable, since it-is known that in naturally wavy hair the hair filaments are of fiattened characteristic, whereas straight hair is round. By the consistent use of the novel brush upon straight hair, the round hair filaments composing the latter, will be gradually reduced to a flattened condition, with tendency to acquire a naturally wavy character. Habitual use of the novel brush will not only keep the hair clean and with tendency to wave, but will render the hair more easily manageable for ordinary dressing, for finger waving and like treatments, as well as more susceptible to best results when professionally dressed.

It is in some cases desirable, once the novel edged bristles 'are caused to penetrate the hair, and as the hair is thereupon stroked with the edged bristles, that the tensional grip of the bristles upon the hair be allowed to increase as the stroke continues. To attain this end the longitudinal rows of bristles I I or bristle bunches B may be successively pitched at increasing angles from the perpendicular, so that outlying bristles or bristle bunches increasingly incline in opposition to the direction of movement of hair filaments therebetween when the hair is stroked by the brush. Such increasing angular pitch tends to increase the tensional reaction of the edged bristles in contact with the hair so as to increase the frictional effect of the former upon the latter. This is shown in Fig. '7, wherein the middle row of bristles is perpendicular to the face of the brush, while outlying rows are successively pitched at progressively increased angles. If the brush is drawn through the hair from left to right, the outlying bristle rows 3' will exert the increasing tensional and frictional effect, whereas if the brush is drawn through the hair from right to left, the outlying bristle rows B" will exert said increasing tensional and frictional effect. The brush form shown in Fig. 7 may be used equally well when moved in either direction, or when operated by either left or right hand manipulation. If desired, the brush so characterized may be made for right hand operation and effective movement from left to right, by making the outermost or right hand row perpendicular and then successively increasing the angular pitch of succeeding rows in the manner shown by the bristle rows 3'. To provide a brush for left hand manipulation, the reverse of this arangement would be utilized, wherein the outermost left hand row the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A hairbrush comprising a brush back, bristle bunches ailixed to said back for projection'there- It is therefore intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in from to form the bristle face oi? the brush, the bristles of each bunch being disposed in relatively divergent extension from the bunch root toward their free extremities, and the bristles forming said bunches being of smooth, firm but flexible character and of polygonal cross sectional shape whereby the same are provided with laterally projecting sharp edges along the length thereof.

2. In a hairbrush, a bristle face comprising a 10 multiplicity of closely disposed bristles composed of unyielding material of smooth, firm but flexible character, said bristles being of polygonal cross-sectional shape whereby the same are provided with a, plurality of laterally and radially projected sharp unyielding edges along the lengths'thereof, thereby to scrapingly grip hair filaments passing between adjacent bristles during use of the brush.

HELMAR LARSON. 

